Department for Communities and Local Government

Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to amend building regulations to require that extractor fans are not installed in open-plan kitchens with log burners, to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Part J of the building regulations requires that when a combustion appliance is installed, an adequate supply of air is provided for safe combustion. The Government provides statutory guidance on how to meet this requirement and this includes avoiding the installation of solid fuel appliances and extractor fans in the same room. Where this is unavoidable, specialist advice should be sought to ensure safe operation of the appliance whether or not the extractor fan is running.There are no plans to amend these requirements or guidance.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will invite the UN Security Council to refer the targeting and bombing by the Sudanese Air Force of civilian and humanitarian targets in South Kordofan, including Médécins sans Frontières’s hospital in Frandala, field hospitals and standing medical structures, to the International Criminal Court.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have repeatedly raised our concerns at the UN Security Council over the reported bombing of hospitals in South Kordofan. Any decision to refer to the International Criminal Court must be made on the basis of what will be the most effective means to bring those responsible to account. We will therefore continue to look at every available option to ensure accountability, and to work with our international partners on what can be done to both assist the victims and to bring those responsible to justice. We will also continue to urge the Government of Sudan to cooperate fully with the UN Independent Expert, whose mandate was renewed at the recent Human Rights Council in September and allows him to assess, verify and report on the human rights situation throughout Sudan.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the participation of Houthi leaders in UN-sponsored discussions, whether similar discussions will be held with the authorities that govern the cantons of north and north-east Syria; and if not, why not.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: It will be for all Syrians to decide the exact nature of the political settlement in Syria as part of a transition process, including whether an autonomous region will be created for the Kurds in Syria. The UK supports the efforts of the UN envoy, Staffan de Mistura, who is working with the parties in Syria to seek ways forward on a political process. He has announced the setting up of working groups to facilitate intra-Syrian discussions on key issues. The UN Security Council and wider international community must support Mr de Mistura's efforts as he works with the Syrian parties including the Democratic Union Party (PYD), to deliver a sustainable political solution.

Egypt: Detainees

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt about detainees held in Egypt and reports of random arrests, pre-trial torture, forced confessions, and the use of military courts for civilian cases.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: In January this year, I personally raised concerns over reports of mistreatment of detainees and the importance of due process with the Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif. Our ambassador and officials in Cairo, regularly raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities, most recently in September 2015.During the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2014, we expressed our concern on a number of issues relating to detainees, including the number of detainees in pre-trial detention and reports of mistreatment or torture. The UK also raised the issue of torture and inhumane treatment in detention in Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2015.The British Government condemns the use of torture in all its forms and strongly urges the Egyptian authorities to ensure that all human and legal rights of all detainees are upheld.

Middle East: Christianity

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the welfare and security of the Chaldean Catholic communities in the Middle East; and whether any Chaldean Christians have been afforded refugee status in the United Kingdom since 2010.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Conflict and instability in the Middle East and North Africa has made the plight of many minorities, including Chaldean Catholics, a significant concern. We have witnessed systematic and deliberate attacks against religious and ethnic minorities in the region, and some countries tragically risk seeing the disappearance of communities that have existed there peacefully for centuries. We deplore all discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities and constraints on their freedom to practise their faith. We regularly urge all governments in the region to ensure the protection of all religious minorities. We encourage them to develop inclusive political systems that represent all of their citizens. We also work proactively in the region to promote community cohesion and inclusive governance.On the granting of refugee status to Chaldean Catholics, the British Government does not divulge which groups are granted asylum in order to protect their identities. The Refugee Convention requires asylum to be granted to those who are outside their countries of origin and have a well-founded fear of persecution on return for reasons which include religion or ethnic origin. The UK has a proud tradition of providing refuge to those who come here in need of protection and we are ready to assist those who come here to seek asylum. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), recently announced that the UK would resettle a further 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.

Egypt: Detainees

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of allegations that secret detention without charge or information being given to relatives and torture is in widespread use in the Egyptian security forces; and whether any United Kingdom citizens have been or are currently involved.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are concerned by recent reports containing allegations of secret detentions and the use of torture in Egypt. The British Government condemns the use of torture in all its forms and strongly urges the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the human rights of all detainees are upheld and due process is observed. We continue to raise these issues with the Egyptian government. In January this year, I personally raised concerns over reports of mistreatment of detainees and the importance of due process with the Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif. The UK raised the issue of torture and inhumane treatment in detention in Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2015. Our ambassador and officials in Cairo, regularly raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities, most recently in September 2015. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes all allegations or concerns of torture and mistreatment extremely seriously. Where UK nationals are involved, with the prisoner’s permission, we follow up all allegations of torture and mistreatment with the Egyptian authorities, depending on the circumstances of each case.

Gaza: Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel following reports by the Union of Gaza Fishermen that, since the signing of the July 2014 ceasefire agreement, Israel’s navy has committed at least 1,370 assaults on Gazan fishermen.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Whilst we have not raised this report with the government of Israel, officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have expressed concern over the Israel Defence Force’s use of live fire against fishermen.

Belarus: Foreign Relations

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of their current relationship with the government of Belarus.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The UK Government has full diplomatic relations with the Government of Belarus, and continue to work to improve them. We welcomed the release of six political prisoners on 22 August, although we continue to have concerns about the human rights situation. We have noted the preliminary statement of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on the conduct of the presidential elections on 11 October, and await its final report. We hope that the Government of Belarus can take forward its dialogue with ODIHR on how to improve the conduct of future elections. We work closely with EU partners on these issues, and engage with the Belarusian authorities to press for political and economic reforms.

Northern Ireland Office

Londonderry

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of whether the decision by Derry City and Strabane District Council to change the name of a city from Londonderry to Derry, without consultation with the city's residents, is in keeping with the requirement in the 1998 Belfast Agreement that there should be parity of esteem between the communities in Northern Ireland.

Lord Dunlop: The Government, on occasion receives requests to change names of towns and cities. At this time the Government does not intend to change the name of the City of Londonderry.

Parades: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Northern Ireland Parades Commission is required to inform the police if it is made aware of the possibility of civil unrest in an area unless parades are either fully or partly banned in that area.

Lord Dunlop: The Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 does not specifically require the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland to inform the police when it receives evidence of the potential for parade-related civil unrest. As a public authority, however, the Parades Commission has more general obligations under public law. The discharge of these obligations is an operational matter for the Commission.

Fisheries: Protection

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what process was used in selecting Irish names for the two fishery protection vessels used around the coast of Northern Ireland; and what is their assessment of whether the decision is in keeping with the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

Lord Dunlop: Fishery protection is devolved. The names of these vessels are therefore a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Northern Ireland Government

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 18 September (HL2210), whether they can confirm that the government of the Republic of Ireland has not had representatives at any discussions other than those allowed by the 1998 Belfast Agreement.

Lord Dunlop: The involvement of the Irish Government in cross-party talks is in accordance with the established three-stranded approach to Northern Ireland affairs and the 1998 Belfast Agreement. A commitment always to uphold the three-stranded approach was also contained in the Government’s Northern Ireland manifesto at the General Election.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Small Businesses: EU Grants and Loans

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to divert part or all of the £160m JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to medium Enterprises) 2 fund, succeeding the Finance for Business North East fund, to other Northern areas described as part of the Northern Powerhouse; and if so, what proportion of funding will be diverted, and why they are taking such action.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government has no intention of imposing any arrangements for the next round of ERDF ‘JEREMIE’ style Access to Finance funds that do not carry local support.

Israel: Arms Trade

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what military hardware and components have been imported into the United Kingdom from Israel in the past 12 months.

Lord Maude of Horsham: Firearms, firearms component parts and ammunition are the only items of military equipment subject to import licensing controls.In 2014, BIS Import Licensing Branch issued 10 import licences for imports from Israel totalling 240 firearms and 2760 firearms component parts.In 2015 (to 30th September), BIS Import Licensing Branch issued 20 import licences for imports from Israel totalling 1858 firearms and 3260 firearms component parts.

Department for International Development

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what mechanisms are in place to ensure that Department for International Development policy and funding streams support integrated population, health and environment programmes.

Baroness Verma: Taking the new Global Goals as our starting point, a number of reviews are underway across DFID to ensure that DFID maintains a high quality and high impact development programme. We will report findings and programming recommendations over the coming months.

Overseas Aid

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have about the effects on health, gender and environmental outcomes of integrated family planning, conservation and sustainable livelihood generation programmes.

Baroness Verma: Evidence of the impacts of integrated population, health and environment programmes has been produced by a range of development partners including USAID and the Population Council. We will continue to look at the lessons from emerging work in this field.

Tristan da Cunha: Shipping

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have made for seaborne links with Tristan da Cunha now that St Helena has an airfield.

Baroness Verma: Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to change seaborne links with Tristan da Cunha.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

British Library: Finance

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the impact of reductions in the funding they provide to the British Library, and whether they will publish the details of this assessment.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government is committed todelivering further savings to eliminate the deficit in public expenditure in order to secure Britain’s long term economic security. DCMS is working closely with all of its arm’s length bodies, including the British Library, as part of the current spending review to understand the impacts of public funding decisions. The outcome of this will be announced by the Chancellor on 25 November 2015.

European Capital of Culture

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to support Brasov, Romania, as the European Capital of Culture for 2021.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The designation of a European Capital of Culture is a matter for the independent selection panel and the national authority of the Member State participating in a particular year.

Department for Work and Pensions

Carer's Allowance

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance are also in receipt of Working Tax Credit.

Baroness Altmann: The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

Social Security Benefits

The Lord Bishop of Portsmouth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what procedures are in place to monitor the adherence of job centres to Department for Work and Pensions guidelines that staff should make the availability of Short Term Benefit Advances known to benefit claimants before advising them of other local sources of short-term support; and how they plan to enforce that guidance if instances of non-adherence are identified.

Lord Freud: Jobcentre staff follow guidance that states customers should only be referred to other local sources of help if they can not get a Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA) or any other form of DWP support in the first instance. When local sources of help is required, staff will look at what is available through the District Provision Tool and signpost accordingly.Earlier this year, DWP undertook activity to raise awareness in Jobcentres of STBA. All Jobcentres displayed posters about STBA and staff were up skilled in the processes and procedures of STBA. Persistent non-compliance of the process by staff could lead to disciplinary action being taken.

Social Security Benefits

The Lord Bishop of Truro: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of those applying for a Short Term Benefit Advance (STBA) in 2014–15 were rejected because (1) they were not considered likely to be entitled to the benefit for which they required an STBA, (2) they were not considered to be in sufficient financial need to warrant an STBA, (3) they were not expected to be able to repay the loan arising from an STBA, (4) a benefit payment could be made in a timeframe that negated the need for an STBA, or (5) for other reasons.

Lord Freud: There is no data available to answer questions 1, 2, 3 & 5. Please see table below in response to question 4; October 2014 – September 2015STBA Applications Received 228,039228,039STBA Primary Benefit Paid52,517% Primary Benefit Paid against Applications Received23.0%For context we have also provided STBA Applications Received.The data provided is for Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefits, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support. The Secretary of State announced on 8 December 2014 that DWP would do more to raise the awareness of Short Term Benefit Advances and as well as more information now on Gov.UK there should be posters and leaflets in all Jobcentres.The data is only available from October 14 therefore we have provided the latest 12 months’ worth of data.Only Working Age Benefits (i.e. ESA, IB, JSA and IS) are included in the above information for benefit advance applications as the number of applications received for State Pension Credit and Carer’s Allowance is not available.The Source for the date is as follows: STBA Applications Received & Primary Benefits Paid - Management Information System Programme (MISP). This collation is based on clerical counts submitted by the Centres and is Internal MI which has been agreed for use in publications of Parliamentary questions and Freedom of Information requests.

Social Security Benefits

The Lord Bishop of Truro: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of those applying for a Short Term Benefit Advance in 2014–15 were awarded one but subsequently refused the benefit applied for.

Lord Freud: The information requested is not available.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

National Parks

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 September (HL1861 and HL1991), what further steps remain in the process of taking a decision about extending the boundaries of the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, and what timetable they have set for those further steps to be taken.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Secretary of State is giving careful consideration to the inspector’s report on the inquiry into proposed extensions to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks and will issue her decisions in due course.

Home Office

Asylum: Deportation

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many asylum seekers were deported from the United Kingdom in (1) 1990, (2) 2000, (3) 2010, and (4) 2014, on reaching the age of 18.

Lord Bates: The Home Office does not keep electronic records on removals going as far back as 2000. Records of removals on the Immigration Database only go back to 2006. In 2010, 132 failed asylum seekers were removed after reaching the age of 18. In 2014, 151 failed asylum seekers were removed after reaching the age of 18.

Detention Centres

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish the short-term holding facility rules.

Lord Bates: In light of commitments made during the passage of the Immigration Act 2014 to make Rules in respect of short term holding facilities (STHFs), the Government intends to consult on the short term holding facility rules once Stephen Shaw CBE’s report into detainee welfare in detention is published. Mr Shaw has completed this review and has submitted his report to the Home Office. His findings are being carefully considered before the report is published by laying it before Parliament, alongside the Government’s response to its recommendations.

Identity Cards

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider introducing identity cards for all United Kingdom residents.

Lord Bates: The Government has no plans to introduce an identity card system for British Citizens. The Biometric Residence Permit is issued to non-EEA nationals staying in the UK for more than six months. These provide evidence of the holders’ immigration status in the UK.

Armed Conflict: British Nationals Abroad

Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people aged (1) 21 and over, and (2) under 21, are known to have returned to the United Kingdom from a conflict zone since January 2014; and of those, how many were (a) charged with an offence and convicted, and (b) not charged but were put under supervision and entered into programmes of deradicalisation.

Lord Bates: Figures on the number of people who have returned to the UK from all conflict zones are not available. However, the Police have estimated that around 700 people from the UK who are of concern are thought to have travelled to the Syria/Iraq region since the start of the conflict, and that around half of those have returned. All decisions on handling returnees from Syria or Iraq are taken on a case-by-case basis. For some, prosecution for terrorist offences is the right course of action, and this will be a decision for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. For others, it may be that support from mental health or social services might be more appropriate.

Borders: Channel Islands

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what level of surveillance the UK Border Force practices with regard to maritime and air travel between the United Kingdom mainland and the Channel Islands.

Lord Bates: The Channel Islands are a part of the Common Travel Area. As such, Border Force is not permitted to conduct routine immigration checks on people travelling between the Channel Islands and the United Kingdom either by air or maritime routes. However, Border Force carries out a wide range of intelligence-led activity, which can include different forms of surveillance, to intervene against vessels which are a potential threat to UK border security in the English Channel. Where necessary, this includes mounting interventions against vessels which have sailed from the Channel Islands.

EU Immigration

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in setting up "hotspot" screening centres for refugees and migrants in Italy and Greece; and where those centres will be located.

Lord Bates: Greece intends to set up ‘hotspots’ in Lesvos, Kos, Leros, Samos and Chios. In Italy the centres will be located at Pozzallo, Porto Empedocle, Trapani and Lampedusa.Progress in the setting up of ‘hotspots’ in Italy and Greece has been slower than the Government expected and the UK has expressed its disappointment at this on a number of occasions in bilateral and European meetings.We will look to increase our provision of resource to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) to support the coordination of the measures. We have reiterated the importance of hotspots fulfilling their full remit, including efficient fingerprinting and registering of migrants and the returns of those found not to be in need of international protection.

UK Border Force

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 22 July (HL1355), what assessment the UK Border Agency has made of whether it will have access to adequate aerial surveillance platforms in 2016.

Lord Bates: Border Force is making plans with its law enforcement partners and other organisations to ensure that it has a sufficient air surveillance capability in place from January 2016 when the contract with its current supplier expires.

Asylum: Appeals

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the United Kingdom is bound by European Union or international law to provide an opportunity for appeal to those whose asylum applications are rejected at first hearing.

Lord Bates: European law requires that a person whose claim for asylum is refused by the Secretary of State should have the right to challenge that decision via an effective remedy. In the UK that remedy is provided by either an appeal right or judicial review depending on the circumstances. There is no specific requirement, either in European or international law, to provide asylum applicants with an onward right of appeal if the rejection of their asylum claim is upheld at a first hearing.

HM Treasury

Public Expenditure

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they instructed local authorities not to disclose the contents of their submissions for the Comprehensive Spending Review; and, if so, why.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Her Majesty’s Government has not instructed local authorities on the matter of disclosing the contents of their submissions for the Comprehensive Spending Review. Local authorities are free to publish the contents of their submissions and many have chosen to do so.

Cabinet Office

Peers: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 22 September (HL2151), on what date the convention that peers who are ministerial special advisers do not speak on the floor of the House was first established.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: Lord Hart of Chilton entered the House in 2004 and made his maiden speech only after ceasing to be a ministerial special adviser in 2007. This approach, based on advice from the then Clerk of the Parliaments, has been accepted practice since then.